The impact of geographical mobility on mobile app usage: a self-regulatory resources perspective

Purpose Despite the widespread download of mobile apps and the significant revenue potential they offer to app firms, existing research has largely overlooked differences in usage among various types of mobile apps as well as antecedents related to the ubiquity of mobile internet that influence app usage. Thus, this study explores how geographical mobility impacts mobile app usage behavior, with a particular focus on comparing game apps with reading apps. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected over four weeks from users of a large Chinese mobile communication company. The study employed two-stage least squares panel instrumental variable (IV-2SLS) regression and propensity score matching (PSM) methods to analyze the data. An experiment was conducted to validate the mechanism. Findings Geographical mobility increases game app usage – but not reading app usage – and this effect is mediated by self-regulatory depletion. Additionally, greater self-regulation ability weakens the positive impact of mobility on game app usage. Practical implications This study provides practical implications for mobile communication firms, app providers, and policymakers. Mobile firms can use users’ mobility patterns to design personalized service plans and improve customer segmentation. App providers may incorporate mobility and cognitive states into content recommendation and interface design. Policymakers can promote digital service innovation by considering mobility-related needs in standards and public health policies. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature on mobile app usage by explaining geographical mobility as the antecedent for differences in usage across app categories, providing a new perspective on the usage of mobile apps.